Match-box.



L. N. FORSYTH. MATCH BOX.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 19, 1910.

1,028,106, Patented June 4, 1912.

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LOUIS NITHSDALE FORSY'IH, OF NEW IBERIA, LOUISIANA.

MATCH-BOX.

ocales.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1912.

Application filed April 19, 1910. Serial No. 556,300.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS NITHSDALE Fon- SYTH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of New Iberia, Iberia parish, Louisiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-Boxes, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in match boxes, and consists in certainnovel constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described andclaimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a box of the characterspecified which will automatically present a lighted match when properlymanipulated.

Referring to the drawings forming a part hereof: Figure 1 is aperspective View of the box; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sec-'tion; Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section;

Fig. 4c is a rear end view; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section; Fig. 6 is aperspective view of the striking device; and Fig. 7 is a transversevertical section of the same.

The embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings consists of aholder composed of a bottom 1 and sides 2 and 3, preferably of wood orlike material, and of suflicient thickness to form a substantial holder.A longitudinal bore or recess 4 is formed in the bottom at approximatelythe center thereof, and the upper face of the bottom is longitudinallyslotted at 5, the slot communicating with the bore. The bore does notextend the full length of the bottom, one end being closed at 6, and acoil spring 7 is inserted in the bore, the end of the spring adjacent tothe closed end of the bore being fixed by a screw 8 passing through thebottom and extending into the bore into engagement with the spring.

A block 9 is arranged transversely of the holder adjacent to the openend of the bore, and an igniter 10 in the form of a cylinder or sleeveis secured transversely of the block and longitudinally of the holder byscrews 11. The sleeve is roughened internally to form a striking surfaceby a plurality of bosses 12, which are formed by punching the materialof the sleeve inwardly at numerous points.

The block 9 is fixed, and a slide bar 13 is mounted for sliding movementlongitudinally of the holder and toward and from the block. The slidebar is held in place and guided in a guideway formed by substantiallytriangular bars 14; secured to the sides 2 and 3 of the holder above theslide bar. A longitudinal series of pins 15 are threaded into the upperface of the slide bar, the pins being arranged at spaced intervals atthe center of the bar, and the said pins extend above the upper face ofthe block, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A lug 16 is threaded into theupper face of the bar adjacent to the block 9, and the lug is providedwith a lateral head 17 which extends toward the igniter. The lug isthreaded entirely through the bar, and the lower end 18 thereof extendsbelow the bar and into engagement with the coil spring 7. The end of theslide bar adjacent to the closed end 6 of the bore is provided with avertical finger piece or handle 19 for convenience in manipulating theslide, and the inner faces of the sides and bottom of the holder and theupper face of the slide bar are lined with a metal lining 20.

The bars 14: are, as before stated, substantially triangular in crosssection, and the inclined face is arranged to face upwardly andinwardly, the two faces forming a hopper bottom for the container andtending to deflect the lowermost match into the passageway 21 formedbetween the adjacent edges of the bars.

The end of the holder adjacent to the igniter is closed by a plate 22arranged at the ends of the sides and bottom, and the end of the holderadjacent to the finger piece 19 is closed by a plate 23, which is ofisetinwardly from the ends of the sides and bot tom to permit the fingerpiece to be easily grasped. False ends 24 and 25 are secured to theplates 22 and 23, respectively, and extend inwardly into the holder tocenter the matches and bring them direct-1y above the hopper bottom. Thesaid false ends are provided with side flanges 26 which fit against thelinings of the side walls to hold the said ends in place, and the saidends are inerchangeable so that by the use of ends of different sizesthe holder may be lengthened or shortened to fit matches of any size.The plate 22 is provided with an opening 27 in alinement with theopening of the sleeve 10, and the false ends 24 and 25 do not extend tothe bottom of the holder, but are spaced above the upper face thereof,as shown in Fig. 2, so that no obstruction is offered to the passage ofthe match 28 through the sleeve and the opening 27.

The sleeve forming the igniter is formed from a plate bent into circularform, the sides of the plate being disconnected as shown, and the sleeveis conical in shape and is arranged with its small end outward. The saidsleeve is of a diameter sufficient to permit the match to pass withfriction, and the head of the match engaging the bosses is subjected toa rubbing or grinding action to ignite the same. The edges of the platebeing disconnected, the sleeve is permitted to expand slightly to allowmatches of greater size to pass withoutinjury or breakage and to insurethe ignition of the smaller matches, as well as those of larger size.

In operation, matches are inserted in the holder from above, the topbeing open for the purpose. The slide held normally, as indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 2 by the spring, and the lowermost match drops intoposition in front of the lug 16 and into alinement with the opening ofthe sleeve 10. When the finger piece is pushed inwardly, the slide baris moved inwardly and the -match is forced outwardly through the sleeveand the opening 27 into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig.2, the head being ignited as it passes through the sleeve. The pins 15hold the matches separated in the bottom of the holder and prevent anyjamming or choking of the slide, and the said pins move through a slot29 in the plate 23 when the slide bar is drawn outwardly by the spring.

It will be noticed from an inspection of Fig. 3, that each of the bars14L is provided with a vertical shoulder lt on its inner side, theshoulders cooperating to form a passage for receiving the matchregistering with the slot 29..

I claim:

1. In a device of the character specified, the combination with acontainer for matches having in its bottom a longitudinal bore and aslot communicating with the bore and having a discharge opening abovethe slot and at one end thereof, of an ejecting device comprising aslide bar in the bore, an ejecting lug on the bar and extending throughthe slot, a plurality of pins arranged in spaced relation longitudinallyof the bar and in line with the ejecting lug for preventing the entranceof matches into position behind the lug, and a spring normally holdingthe bar in outward position.

2. In a device of the character specified, an ejecting device comprisinga bar provided at one end with an ejecting lug, a container for thematches in which the bar is slidable, said container having deflectorsfor deflecting a single match into position in front of the lug andhaving a discharge opening at one end between the deflectors, and aplurality of pins arranged behind the lug and in alinement therewith forpreventing the entrance of matches behind the lug.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS NITHSDALE FORSYTH.

Witnesses:

L. J. DAUTERIDE, E. E. DELHOMMED.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

